Destiny
by PocketSevens
Summary: Hiding from the Gale Force, Elphaba wonders if it's all worth it. In her doubts, a stranger unexpectedly arrives and helps her see her destiny. Takes place in the Second Act after "Thank Goodness" and before "Wonderful".
1. Destiny

**A/N - Thank you! Thank you for your nominations for the Greg Awards! Thank you to those who voted for me! I truly appreciate it. Congratulations on all who won and thank you TrebledWriter for hosting!**

 **I wanted to write this one for a while - only recently have I been able to get it where I want it. (Although, I'll probably post this and then two weeks later say, "Oh man, I could have wrote this better!".) :P**

 **I'm still trying to decide if I'll make this a one-shot or two-shot; though, I do have a second chapter in mind. :)**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Wicked - it is owned by people much more talented than me.**

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Elphaba looked out toward the darkening sky, cursing the approaching darkness as she tried to desperately light a fire. Normally, she'd have already found shelter by now, lit a fire to keep warm and had something to eat from her meager possessions. However, that damned Gale Force found her only an hour before and she had to escape. Thankfully, none of their shots found their mark as she soared through the sky, but their interference meant that she needed to find a new hiding place in the light of the dying sunset. Thankfully, she was able to find a small cave to hide in, but the evening dew had already started falling. Now, trying to get the dampened wood to light, Elphaba shivered in the cool damp air of the cave.

Sighing in frustration, she threw the sticks to the ground and sat on the cold floor. It was days like today she really wondered if she was doing any good - wondering if her fight for the Animals was all worth it. Yes, the Animals depended on her. Yes, she had saved as many as she could.

However, her mind flickered to the ones she couldn't save - the ones she watched die at the hands of the Wizard's army.

It was then that, somewhere in the back of her mind, Glinda's words echoed...

 _Elphie, just say you're sorry before it's too late. You can still be with the Wizard – it's what you've worked and waited for. You can have all you ever wanted..._

But, the green woman knew that, once she flew out the window of the Emerald Palace, there was no going back.

Pulling her thread-worn blanket around her, Elphaba tried to fight the cold air that crept in around her. She knew she needed fire to stay warm - it meant staying alive. So, with a resigned sigh, she started to try and light the fire again.

That's when she heard a sound...a snap of a twig.

She quickly stepped back to hide in the darkness of the cave; her hands in front of her in case she needed her magic to defend herself.

In the darkness of the evening, a voice called out: "Miss Elphaba?"

Her heart lept into her throat. Somebody knew she was there?

The voice called out again, much softer this time. "It's alright, Miss Elphaba. I don't mean any harm."

It was then that the cave started to fill with light and Elphaba got a good look at her unexpected visitor:

Crouched down in front of a now lit fire was a man. He was an older man - his short, grey curly hair, grey mustache and goatee was evidence of that. His skin was a dark color - perhaps he was from the Quadlings.

"Who are you?" she demanded hotly, heart pounding in her chest and her hands still at the ready in case she needed to use her magic.

"I am just a friend," he replied as he stood. His face held a soft expression and he wore a warm smile. His voice, while deep, was soft and soothing. He wore a simple black coat with a white shirt and black pants. "I noticed you were having trouble lighting your fire, so I wanted to help."

"Why would you help me?" she asked him, still holding up her guard.

"Because I want to," he simply replied with a smile as he picked up a large log.

This strange man was about to place the log on the fire before Elphaba spoke, "That won't work...the wood's too wet and it's to big a piece for..."

However, as he placed the log on the tiny fire, the flames quickly grew, filling the cave with its warmth.

He smiled at his handiwork. "Alrighty, then. _That's_ more like it."

She looked back at this strange man in shock. "How did you do that?"

The man shrugged. "It's a talent I have," he simply replied, still smiling. He then added, "It's such a strange place to find such a pretty, young lady. Aren't there better places to stay?"

"Maybe I like the open concept and fresh air," Elphaba deadpanned. "Besides, you _do_ know who you're talking to, right?"

"Yes, I do," he answered. "I know who you are, Miss Elphaba. This may come as a surprise, but I remember you as a young baby."

"Funny, I don't remember you," came her cautious retort.

"What can I say...it's been a really long time since we've talked."

Rolling her eyes, Elphaba then said, "You still haven't told me who you are."

"Like I said, I'm just a friend who wants to help," he simply repeated. "Let's just say that I want you to succeed in your mission."

"So, who _are_ you? Resistance?"

"No," he replied as he sat down beside the fire, motioning for her to sit as well. Cautiously, the green woman sat down with the man. "You might find this hard to believe, but not everybody in Oz agrees with the Wizard's or Morrible's plans, or their treatment of the Animals. I've seen many innocent Animals...and people...be hurt by what's been going on."

"Or killed," Elphaba solemnly added, her mind briefly flashing back to those she couldn't save.

The stranger nodded sadly. "Or killed," he repeated. "That hurts the most...to watch the innocent be killed. That truly pains my heart."

"The way you talk, you sound like they're your children," Elphaba noted.

He pursed his lips together in thought. "Perhaps. But don't you feel the same way? Don't you hate seeing the innocent persecuted with no way to defend themselves?"

Sighing, Elphaba sarcastically retorted, "Well, it's not like I _chose_ the title 'Wicked Witch of The West'."

He only stared at her in reply.

Huffing, the green woman continued, "OK, yes. To be completely honest, I felt I couldn't just stand there and do nothing when I discovered the truth about the Wizard."

"The fact he's a not a real Wizard? The fact he's behind the mistreatment of of the Animals?"

"The fact he's dividing the citizens of Oz against each other only for his political gain," she replied. "And the fact he would let anyone suffer just so he and Horrible Morrible could be in power? That..."

She stopped as a lump formed in her throat. There were so many emotions playing in her mind.

"How do you know all of this?" he asked her.

She swallowed hard. "Because I was there." It was then she told him the story about her day in the Emerald City, leaving out the parts with Glinda - no sense in dragging her into this mess.

After she finished her story, he then noted, "You must have felt betrayed."

"You have no idea," she lamented, starting to wipe away the tears that threatened to fall. "I had been waiting my whole _life_ to meet the Wizard and finally do something good. And then..."

Wiping away the tears that were falling from her cheeks, she quietly apologized. "Sorry," she simply whispered but the stranger nodded in understanding.

They sat in silence for a few moments before Elphaba spoke: "Sometimes I wonder why I'm even doing this. I feel so alone."

"Perhaps it is your destiny," the stranger noted.

"Now, just one clock-tick!" Elphaba replied angrily. "What are you saying? That I'm _destined_ to go through this hell?"

Holding up his hands in defense, he answered, "That's not exactly what I meant. What I meant was doing what you've been sent to do - that you've been born to help others. What if 'destiny' was not telling you how to live but fulfilling a purpose?"

"And what would that be? To become the most hated person of Oz? To be looked upon as an aberation? If you haven't noticed, it's not easy being a person with green skin."

"First of all," he calmly started, "If somebody can't see the beautiful woman you are behind your green skin, then they're not worth your time."

In his response, her mind flashed back to Fiyero - the moment back in the forest at Shiz with the Lion Cub - the moment she felt sparks for the first time. She even felt her heart flutter for a moment.

The stranger continued, taking her from her thoughts. "Second, let me ask you this: if you had the chance to go back with no consequence - if you could join the Wizard, knowing what you know now - would you?"

Relaxing her shoulders, she thought about the stranger's question before replying, "No."

"Why not?" he calmly asked, knowing where he was leading her.

Sighing, she tiredly replied, "Because I know what it's like to be seen as 'different' and I couldn't stand the thought of Animals being treated as 'different' and having their lives taken away. I could never live with myself if I went back."

He nodded in understanding. "I know it's hard to think of the ones you couldn't save, but just think of the ones you _could_. How much better are their lives because of what you did?"

"I guess so," she replied. "It's hard, though. Like I said, I feel so alone."

"You're _not_ alone," he answered taking her hand in his. "There are many in Oz who believe in you: Animal and human alike. You are _definitely_ not alone."

She looked down at her hand in the stranger's hand. Surprisingly, she didn't feel afraid or shocked; she felt a sense of relief wash over her. For the first time in a long time, she felt a sense of purpose - a determination to complete the mission she chose to undertake.

Squeezing his hand, she simply said, "Thank you."

Standing up, the stranger then said, "Anyway, I must be heading back. It was a pleasure to talk to you, Miss Elphaba. Please enjoy your dinner, and don't forget to wrap up warm."

He gestured towards her bag. When she looked down at her satchel, she let out a gasp: her once empty bag was full of fruits, nuts, cheeses and dried meats. In addition, her thread-worn blanket was now a thick fully intact blanket. She also noticed another thicker blanket lying on the ground beside her.

"What in Oz..." she breathed in disbelief.

Chuckling lightly to himself, the Stranger then said, "I'll see you around, Miss Elphaba." And with that, he turned to leave.

"Wait!" she cried out causing him to stop. "Who _are_ you? Please tell me your name! Do you even _have_ a name?"

Smiling again, he simply replied. "Of _course_ I have a name. Ironically, most people think I'm unnamed...at least, that's what they say."

As he turned and walked away, their conversation rattled around in her head.

The way he talked about the "innocent people" of Oz...

The talk about "Destiny"...

Being called "Unnamed"...

There was something special about this man. It was almost as if...

It was then a shocking realization hit her.

"Oh...my...God..." she breathed as she collapsed to her knees on the weight of her realization.

The man simply turned and winked before disappearing from sight.

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 **A/N - if you need a hint at who the "stranger" is, just think Morgan Freeman.**


	2. Aftermath

**A/N - thank you for your reviews. I'm so glad you liked this. I loved reading your thoughts on who you thought the stranger was. However, this chapter will clarify it.**

 **I anticipated only making this a two-shot, but I have an idea for a third (and final) chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: Yeah...I own nothing. :P**

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It was a long time before she ever saw him again.

Both witch and Scarecrow made their way through the back woods of the Vinkus so as not to be seen. The likelihood of them being seen was remote as most Ozians were celebrating the "death" of "The Wicked Witch of the West". They walked in silence - the weight of the day wearing heavy on them.

As evening fell, the two companions approached an abandoned barn. The Scarecrow entered first.

"It's safe, Fae. There's nobody here."

Glad to be off of her feet, Elphaba sat down on the barn floor. She felt the cold of the air starting to creep in.

"We need to start a fire so I can stay warm," she noted.

"I know, Fae," Fiyero replied. "I'd love to help but I'm kind of flammable right now," he joked.

She replied with her own small smile, but the guilt of his transformation still weighed on her. "I know, Yero. I wish I could do more to help you..."

"Hey," he replied, sitting beside her and cupping her face. "I'm here and I'm alive thanks to you. That's all that matters."

He kissed her gently but it didn't change her mood. "I'll find a way to change you back."

He put a finger to her lips. "I know, Fae. I have faith in you. Let's just concentrate on the here and now, ok?"

Nodding, she then looked around. "I don't know if we have any wood we can use for a fire..."

A voice boomed from the dark of the barn.

"Maybe _I_ can help with that."

Suddenly, the sound of wood falling to the ground echoed behind them startling both of them. After a few moments, the barn was bathed in the light of a small fire.

That's when she saw Him.

"You," Elphaba breathed angrily.

"Hello, Elphaba. How are you?"

The green woman replied by walking up to the visitor and punching Him in the chest. "Where the hell have you been?" she cried.

"Ow," He replied in mock hurt. "Was that really necessary?"

However, the straw man walked up to his girlfriend interrupting the exchange. "Um...Fae? Do you mind introducing me to your friend here?"

Angrily, Elphaba raised her arms gesturing towards the stranger. "Fiyero Tiggular, let me introduce you to the One, the Almighty, the _what-some-people-call-unnamed_...God!"

At Elphaba's reply, Fiyero's eyes immediately shot up towards the stranger who gave a small wave while grinning at him. After a few seconds of thought, Fiyero burst out laughing.

"Excuse me? I beg your pardon? You don't actually mean _'God'_ God, like the actual Almighty..."

He quickly sobered when he realized Elphaba's face didn't waver. He even freaked out a little when the stranger opened His hands - a small rainbow appearing between them.

"...uh...wow...you are...you...you're being totally serious," he stammered.

Turning to Him, Fiyero then confessed, "Um...yeah...look...I know I haven't exactly been a good boy..."

He just chucked at Fiyero's attempt at a "confession".

"Relax, son. I'm not here to discuss your past misdeeds. I wanted to have a chat with Miss Elphaba here about what she's done."

Turning to the green woman, he then asked, "Why are you so angry?"

"Why am I so _angry_?" she replied completely exasperated. "Gee...I don't know! How about the fact my sister is DEAD! Everybody is SINGING the praises of my supposed death! The only man who ever loved me almost DIED if I hadn't turned him into straw! And worst of all, my best friend thinks I'm dead! And you have the gall to ask me why I'm so angry? Do you have _any_ idea of what I've been through? Of everything I've lost?"

Angry tears started falling from the green woman's eyes. "Of _course_ you do! You see _everything_ , don't you?"

"Elphaba," He calmly started to speak, but she wouldn't let him.

"You're the _supposed_ 'Almighty One'! The one who sees all! Well, haven't you seen what's been going on here?"

"Of course I have..." he began.

She interrupted him again; rage filling her words as the tears poured out. "I fought for YEARS trying to free the Animals and NOTHING got better! And were were you? Huh? You were NOWHERE to be found! No wonder I didn't believe in you as a child and NOW..."

Slowly, He raised his hand and made the motion of lightly closing a fist.

Suddenly, Elphaba found she no longer had the ability to speak - as if her mouth were being held closed. She turned and glared at Him.

"Do you ever let anyone else talk?" He asked her, eliciting a slight chuckle from Fiyero. She turned a shot the Scarecrow a look that could kill and he wisely kept quiet.

Releasing his fist, He calmly continued. "If I may, I would like to address your list of complaints."

Crossing her arms, the green girl nodded. He then said, "As far as your belief that I was not watching you - you're wrong. I _have_ seen everything, Elphaba. As a matter of fact, I was there with your sister the night before she died."

That shocked the green woman. "What?" she asked surprised, slowing uncrossing her arms.

"I had a long chat with Nessa after you and...what's his name...Boq...after the two of you left. She was completely upset over what happened to Boq and him leaving her. We talked for a while and I convinced her that she was being too selfish. Given some time, I got her to see that every law she enacted was wrong - that denying the Munchkins their rights for her own selfish gain was wrong. That night, she wrote a new law repealing every restriction she made; and then, she prayed for forgiveness - which I granted her."

"You were there..." the green woman breathed as the pain of losing her sister started welling up inside her heart.

"I was," He replied. "I was also there to greet her when she died."

"Is Nessa ok?" Elphaba softly asked and He nodded.

"She's is."

Upon hearing his statement, the green witch fell to the ground and started sobbing. Fiyero quickly rushed to her side and put her arms around her. "It's ok, Fae. Let it out."

"Oh, Nessa," she silently whispered between sobs. However, she was startled as He placed a hand on her shoulder.

"She's doing fine now, Elphaba. It's ok."

They waited a few minutes as the Elphaba's sobs subsided. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she turned to face Him.

"Thank you," she simply said and he replied with a nod.

"Now," He continued. "As far as your work here in Oz..."

A tired Elphaba sighed in resignation. "I don't think I can do much else."

"Oh, right - you don't know," He noted.

Now the green woman was confused. "Know what?"

"Well..."

A smirk formed on His face. Sitting down on a chair that seemed to "magically" appear, He reached behind him and pulled a newspaper out of nowhere. Even in her exhausted state, Elphaba rolled her eyes as she saw the title of the paper:

 _The Heavenly Times_.

"Let's see..." He began. "First things first, The Wizard has left Oz."

"What?" Elphaba replied, shocked upon hearing the news.

"Yep. He flew off on his balloon a few days ago. The official word is...and I quote...'that the strains of Wizardship have been too much' and that he is taking 'an indefinite leave of absence'."

"Wow," Fiyero breathed as he sat beside a shocked Elphaba.

"So, the Wizard is gone?" she asked Him in disbelief. "Who's in charge, then?"

"Take a wild guess," He replied with a knowing grin.

"Morrible?" she asked with trepidation.

However, He shook his head. "Nope. She's been arrested...currently sitting in a cell in Southstairs."

"Good," Fiyero commented. However, Elphaba was still thinking this through her head.

"So, if the Wizard is gone and Morrible's in jail, that means..."

It took her a few seconds to realize...

"Glinda?!" she sputtered. " _Glinda's_ now in charge?"

He couldn't help but chuckle as He nodded in response. "'Her Goodness Glinda the Good' is now the new leader of Oz looking to undo the damage the Wizard has done. She has publicly said she's going to bridge the divide between all citizens of Oz - Animal and Human alike."

"Wow," Elphaba breathed at the revelation.

He got up and closed his paper. "So, you see, Miss Elphaba, you _have_ had a positive impact on Oz. Because of you, so many good things have come out of this and I predict that, over time, things will get better for everyone in Oz."

He sat down beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You answered my call the day you flew out of the Emerald Palace. I _know_ your hardships, Elphaba. I know everything you've gone through. I only intervened once to encourage you. After that, you were doing a exactly what I needed you to do. I am proud of you, Elphaba."

She couldn't help but let a few tears of relief fall. Wiping them away, she just chuckled in spite of herself.

"I'm sorry for hitting you," she began. "I'm sorry for the things I said."

"I understand, Elphaba," He replied. "I know you are a passionate person and that you devote your whole self into your cause. I also know that you have a temper. I created you, remember?"

"Even with the green skin?" she asked flatly.

He took her hands in His. "Well, I am quite proud of that. You are one of my most beautiful creations."

"I agree," Fiyero added causing the green woman to blush.

"See, you _are_ beautiful," He noted gesturing at Fiyero. She rolled her eyes at Him.

He got up to leave. Elphaba also stood up. "Wait. I just want to say 'thank you'."

"You're welcome," He replied, but he noticed she seemed to want to say something else. "Is there something else I can do for you?" He asked her.

It took a few moments for her to work up the courage, but she nodded. "Yes - there is."

And to everybody's amazement, including Elphaba herself, she closed her eyes. "I want to ask that you look after the Animals of Oz - please help them recover and get their lives back. Please look after Glinda - she's going to need a lot of help getting things straight. And...make sure she's happy...maybe find somebody to love her, and that she has a good life.

"Plus," she added, "If this is love...if what Fiyero and I have is _love_ , please let me know. I haven't really experienced true love before so I could use some guidance on what to do. And lastly...and I can't believe I'm asking this...tell me what to do. If I'm to remain in Oz, help me. If not, tell me where I need to go and I will go."

She slowly opened her eyes and He was beaming with pride.

"Now, _that's_ a prayer," he mused.

"Yeah?" she asked almost excitedly.

"Yeah," he confirmed. "I'll get right on those things you asked. However, there's something I'd like to ask of you. After she nodded, He continued. "You said you wanted to know what to do next. Well, there's an Animal refugee camp in Ix that is doing well helping Animal displaced from Oz, but could use some help. Would you be willing to go?"

A small smile formed on the green woman's lips. "I can do that," she replied and He nodded.

"Thank you, Elphaba."

"Wait," Fiyero cried, clumsily getting up. "I have a request too: I know I haven't been a good person to the women I've...you know. I can't change the past, I know that. I'm sorry for what I did. But, I have the same request as Elphaba: teach us to love each other. I've never loved a woman more than I've loved Elphaba so I kinda need to learn how to do it right."

"Don't worry," He replied, walking past a blushing Elphaba to put a hand on the Scarecrow's shoulder. "I'll help you out."

"Thanks," the Prince replied, flashing his goofy grin.

"Well, I must be off," He told the young couple. "Have a safe journey to Ix and look after each other, ok?"

They both nodded and He turned to leave. However, before disappearing, he stopped and turned.

"Oh, and one more thing, Elphaba. About Glinda thinking your dead...nothing is forever."

He then winked at her.

#####

The morning sun rose in the East and Elphaba's eyes fluttered open. She was laying down on a bed of hay on top of one of her blankets. A smile crossed her face as she could feel Fiyero curled up behind her - his breath tickling her neck.

"Don't get up yet," he groggily commanded. "It's too early and it's freezing - you're nice and warm."

"So are you," she murmured, sighing in contentment at the feeling of Fiyero snuggled up behind her, closing her eyes to let sleep take her again.

Suddenly, her eyes shot open, realizing something wasn't right. "Yero?" she cried, causing the Prince to wince.

"Oz, Fae. It's too early to be that loud...why are you staring at me like that?" Fear started to grip the Prince as Elphaba stared in disbelief.

"Oh my Oz...Fiyero, you're _human_!"

Looking at his hands, he realized that they weren't straw. "What the..." he breathed as he looked at himself. He was still dressed in his Scarecrow outfit, but instead of hay, he was flesh and bone.

Elphaba knelt in front of him. "Real hands," she noted taking his hands in hers. She then reached up to his face. "Real skin..."

She then quickly closed the gap between them and kissed him fiercely. Breaking apart, he noticed she was crying.

"What's wrong, Fae?"

She shook her head. "Nothing. I'm just...happy."

She pulled him close to her, wrapping her arms around him as they laughed. Looking up to the sky, Elphaba simply said, "Thank you."

It was a few hours before the reached the edge of the desert. "Do you think we'll make it across ok?" Elphaba asked.

Looking at the sky, Fiyero nodded. "It's really cloudy today so I don't think we'll have to worry about too much heat. I think it'll take two days to cross."

"That's a long time to walk."

"I know. It would be easier of we had..."

 _Whinny._

The young couple heard a whinny behind them. Turning to the source of the noise, they saw two horses trotting towards them.

"...a couple of horses," Fiyero finished looking dumbstruck as the horses nuzzled their heads up against them. Pointing towards the sky, he asked her, "You don't think He had something to do with this - do you?

Elphaba just rolled her eyes. However, looking towards the sky, she couldn't hide the smile that formed on her face.

"OK. Now you're just showing off."

#####

He turned to her. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Nodding, she replied, "I'm absolutely sure."

"She won't be able to see or hear you...you know that, right?"

She nodded sadly. "I know, but she looked after me all of her life. The least I can do is look after her any way I can."

A big smile crossed His face. "Very well, then. Nessarose Thropp, I hereby appoint you as Guardian Angel for your sister, Elphaba."

"Thank you!" Nessa shouted as she flew off to catch up with her sister. "I won't let you down!"

#####

 **A/N - Fiyero's reaction to being introduced to "God" was modeled after Chuck's reaction as he says, "The ' _President_ ' President?". ****YouTube video here: (standard YouTube URL) add the following to it: /watch?v=zBPYR8YNLpM**


	3. Peace

**A/N - Thank you for your reviews. As promised, here is the third and final chapter. It's a short chapter and it may not be what you were expecting but I hope you'll like it.**

 **SunRise19 - Yes, it was a 'Bruce Almighty' reference in the previous chapter. I've also included a small 'Evan Almighty' reference in this chapter.**

 **UltimateQueenOfCliffies - Thank you so much. I really tried to balance it all out together and to do it justice.**

 **Fae'sFlower - thank you! I'm glad you liked it.**

 **A shoutout to ElphieNeedsAHug because it was something she said in her review that sparked the idea for this chapter.**

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Evening fell upon the Emerald City as the night sky unfolded and the stars started to appear. In the City's main Cathedral, a choir director was directing men, women and children in song for the coming Sunday service. Their voices filled the great Cathedral with their melodic tones, only stopping when the Choir Director commanded them to stop to give them instruction.

A cloaked person sat at the back of the church listening to the choir as they practiced. The mysterious woman sat quietly as the music started again, closing her eyes as she listened to their stunning voices. A few moments later, a young couple entered through the main doors laughing carefree as they walked hand in hand, causing the hooded woman to cover herself some more as they walked by. The Priest of the Cathedral greeted the young couple; from where the woman sat, it sounded like they were talking about wedding plans. She watched as the Priest led them away; however, he gave her a quick wave to which she waved back.

Only _he_ knew that Glinda the Good sat in the back of the church every Wednesday evening to hear the choir sing.

To the staff of the Emerald Palace, Glinda the Good decided to retire for the evening - only her closest maids knew that she would don a black cloak, summon her bubble and float out of the Emerald Palace unseen. It was better that way - a chance for Glinda to walk the streets of the Emerald City without being recognized. It gave the blonde a chance to walk around the city; to get away from the daily grind of the country's politics.

This "ritual" started six months after the death of the "Wicked Witch" even though it wasn't meant to be a weekly ritual. It was during one of her walks that she walked passed the Cathedral doors. Since the temperatures were somewhat pleasant at that time, the Cathedral had their doors open. That's when she heard the choir sing for the first time. Peering in, she stood and listed to them sing - oh, how beautiful they sang. The harmonies floated through the walls of the Cathedral to Heaven itself, it seemed. Glinda stood transfixed listening that she never noticed the Priest walking up to her. Of course, he didn't know it was Glinda the Good until he saw her face but she softly put her finger to her mouth. He nodded in understanding and they both listened to the choir.

"How beautiful," the blonde mused to the Priest and he nodded in response.

"They really are. They all come every week to practice for the Sunday service." He then turned to the blonde. "If you'd like, you can come by and listen whenever you'd like."

Smiling, she nodded. "I'd like that. Thank you."

And so, for the past two years, the choir was unaware they had the most unlikely patron listening to them as they practiced.

Glinda watched as the young couple fallowed the Priest behind a set of doors - probably leading them to his office. Alone again, she closed her eyes to listen as the choir came to life again. However, her solitude was interrupted by a voice:

"They really are fantastic, aren't they?"

Looking up, she saw a strange man standing there. She noticed that he was an older man - his short, grey curly hair, grey mustache and goatee was evidence of that. His skin was a dark color - perhaps he was from the Quadlings. He wore what looked like a caretaker's uniform and she noticed the name tag that adorned his uniform:

Al Mighty.

"I'm sorry," he quickly added. "I didn't mean to interrupt..."

"No," Glinda replied interrupting him. "That's fine. I'm just enjoying the music. Would you care to join me?"

She moved along the pew and he sat down beside her. They both remained transfixed on the choir as they sang.

"Amazing, aren't they?" he commented during one of their breaks.

The blonde nodded in response. "Yes, they are. You must hear them a lot working here."

"I've been listening to them for a long time," he noted. He then turned to her and asked, "May I ask: why do you come on a Wednesday practice? Why not come on Sunday for the Sunday Service?"

"I like the peace and quiet," she replied simply. "If I came on Sunday, I would be seen as 'Glinda the Good attending a Church service'. Right now, I'm just an unknown person who just wants to listen and not cause a fuss."

He nodded in understanding. "And you get to be yourself for a while," he added and she nodded in affirmation.

"Don't get me wrong: I am happy with what I'm doing. But, sometimes, it's just frustrating."

"How so?" he asked. "Aren't you succeeding in reintegrating the Animals back into Ozian society?"

She huffed in response. "Slowly. Between those people who still don't trust the Animals and those who think we should raise taxes obscenely and give it all to the Animals...it's just hard to find a balance. It's also going very slow - I would have hoped we'd be further along than we are."

"Change take a long time," he replied. "Do you have anybody helping you?"

She shook her head. "Not really. I don't know who to trust in this. The only person I know who could have helped me is dead and I'm just doing the best I can."

Unbeknownst to Glinda, he knew _exactly_ to whom she was referring in her statement. "If it helps you feel any better, I think you're doing a good job."

"Thanks," she replied genuinely. "I really appreciate that."

"But," he then added. "It's ok to ask for help. You never know where you'll find it."

She eyed him warily. "You don't mean..." and she pointed upwards.

He shrugged. "It couldn't hurt. Could it?" he asked with a knowing wink.

She chuckled. "Maybe not."

They sat together until the practice finished. Rising from her seat, she straightened her gown. "Well, thank you, Al. I appreciated the company. Now, time to sneak back into the Palace and be 'Glinda the Good' once more."

"Thank you," he replied. "It was a pleasure to talk to you."

He turned to leave but stopped and faced the blonde. "If I may, your Goodness, I've heard of an Animal Refuge in the country of Ix that is doing some amazing things there. Perhaps it's worth visiting?"

She pondered his suggestion but then an awful thought struck her: "I can't exactly go with soldiers by my side - it would frighten the Animals. They'd think they were being invaded or something."

"Then don't take any," he softly replied. "You could tell everybody you're going on vacation so you are free to travel on your own. It would give you a chance to get away for a while and make an 'unofficial' visit. Something tells me you'd be surprised what you'd find there."

Glinda stood there considering his idea. It had been a long time since she went on vacation. She could stop by and visit family on the way, stop by Kiamo Ko to pay homage to her dead friends, and then continue to Ix to see the sights and visit the Refuge. Standing resolutely, she replied, "You know, that is an amazifying idea. I will do just that. Thank you."

"You're welcome," he replied with a smile. And with that, He then left to continue His duties.

#####

 **A/N - and that is it. I'll let somebody else write what happens when Glinda arrives in Ix. :)**


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